


Exile

by EllaLovesCats



Category: The Good Wife (TV)
Genre: Everybody gets a mention, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-23
Updated: 2020-11-27
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:28:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,107
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27122512
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EllaLovesCats/pseuds/EllaLovesCats
Summary: In the year 2028, Nick Savarese body is found and Alicia Florrick is the only lead in the investigation, will she talk? Did Kalinda kill him? And how will state's attorney Grace Florrick react?
Comments: 3
Kudos: 4





	1. Chapter 1

Chicago - 2028

“Damn it.” Detective Garcia said as she approached the dead body at the construction site. 

“Yep.” Her partner, detective Nelson was annoyed too by the finding. “Why couldn’t they just dump it in the ocean?” 

“Ocean? You mean the lake, Nelson” Detective Garcia replied as she kneeled to take a better look at the body placed at the bottom of the construction. 

“Ocean, lake, whatever!”

“I think the killer thought this part of the building was gonna be filled with concrete; hiding the body forever. Instead they put a plaque over it, probably cheaper. And now the old building is torn down and voila!”

“We got a body just when our shift was almost over” Detective Nelson cracked his neck “I hate these cases, we never clear them.”

“Let's move it and see what we get. Maybe it wasn’t an execution. Maybe he just fall down and nobody saw him.”

The next day at the coroner's office, Detectives Garcia and Nelson got the full report.

"One bullet to the head from close range." the coroner told the detectives. "The body wasn't exposed to the elements, so it's relatively preserved but not enough to get a fingerprint."

"Anything to help us identify him?" Garcia asked.

"No wallet, no phone. Just two silver rings and…"

"The killer didn't take the rings?" Nelson interrupted the coroner as he picked the plastic bag with the jewelry. "Oh, these are ugly."

Garcia took the rings away from Nelson. "You were saying, doctor?"

"We found a business card in his pocket." 

"Lockhart & Gardner." Nelson read it out loud. "Lawyers, uh? Alright, let's go talk to them."

"Unless you have a Ouija board, we're only talking to one: Diane Lockhart." Garcia the most experienced detective said.

Diane Lockhart looked at the business card. It was now yellowish with moisture stains in the corners, but one could clearly read: Lockhart and Gardner.

"Do you recognize the card, Ms. Lockhart?" Detective Garcia asked.

"Sure. It's a card from my old firm...one of the many firms.” Diane said the last part to herself. 

"Anything else you can tell us?" Garcia asked while Nelson walked around the room looking at Diane's mementos in the lawyer’s office. 

"For the name, it's from 2011 or 2012. A long time ago. A lifetime ago" Diane kept an eye on Nelson to make sure he wasn't touching anything.

"Why doesn't it have a name?" Garcia continued her inquiry pointing at the enlarged photo of the business card.

"I have no idea." Diane replied. "We didn't print business cards for every lawyer we employed. We only gave them guidelines of how the cards had to look. Font size, color, logo."

"Did you represent any gang members back in the day, Ms Lockhart?" Garcia leaned in. "We believe this murder was a hit."

"No, we didn't."

"Uh. I remember that in my rookie year, your law firm was representing the notorious drug dealer Lemond Bishop.”

"Only his legal business." Diane replied. "Anything else, detective? Or are you gonna keep fishing?"

Garcia smiled. "You're right. We're fishing. Because this is the only clue we have for a 15 years old murder. So please, think about it. Did any client or associate go missing in those years?"

"No that I can recall." 

"Alright. Thank you anyway." Garcia got up and took the evidence photo.

"Although." Diane said "I can tell you that the business card wasn't from a partner. It had to be an associate"

"How can you tell?" Nelson asked this time.

"The office extension. It's 223. You'll see, we had a hierarchy. I was 101, my partner Will, was 102. All the partners had certain offices, with certain extension numbers." Diane explained.

"So this was a low number belonging to an associate." Garcia said "Okay, do you remember who?"

"No." Diane quickly replied "But my former assistant Cindy Lapkins might."

The detectives tracked down Diane's old assistant, by the end of the day they were interviewing her.

"Oh, it was Cary Agos and Alicia Florrick extension number." Cindy Lapkins said as soon as she looked at the photo. “At least for a while.”

Garcia and Nelson shared a look, they didn't expect to hear the Florrick name.

"Are you sure? Don't you want to take a look at an old agenda?" 

"No, I still got it all up here." Cindy pointed at her head. "Alicia and Cary were sort of the teacher's pets. Diane and Will were always calling them up. They were extension 235, 241, then they shared 223, later they got 201 and 202. I even remember their number from the Florrick and Agos days: 773-290..."

"Okay, we get the point." Nelson said. "You said they shared an office?"

"Yeah, for a while. I think that's where this nameless card comes from."

"How do you spell Agos?" Garcia asked.

The detectives finished their interview and walked to their car.

"What are we gonna do?" Nelson asked his partner and mentor.

"About what?"

"Come on, Garcia. Alicia Florrick is our next clue. The state's attorney's mom, the former first lady of Illinois.”

"Calm down Nelson. We still got another stop. Let's find this Agos guy." Detective Garcia stated. 

"Wow. What a blast from the past." Cary Agos smiled looking at the card. He had agreed to meet the detectives in his office in Milwaukee, WI. Cary moved out of Chicago many years ago; decided to start clean somewhere new. He was a small firm lawyer now, shared his office with his wife, an accountant. He enjoyed his ‘simpler’ life in Milwaukee. Less complicated but somehow more rewarding. Cary and his wife decided to not have kids, and they were very much dedicated to each other. Cary was planning their vacation to Jamaica when he got the call from the detectives, he felt like it was the past calling him. 

"You find this in a dead body?" Cary frowned. 

"Yes. Is it yours?" Garcia asked, leading in the interview again. 

"Yeah, I was working for Lockhart and Gardner and well, back then I was kinda of a pretentious lawyer." Cary once again flashed his charming smile. "I liked having my cards ready. Although, these were mostly a joke."

"How come?" 

"The partners were remodeling the firm, so they put Alicia and me in a tiny office for a while. Our desks were so close to each other and we only had one phone. It was ridiculous. So I had these made."Cary gave the photo back to detective Garcia. 

"Do you remember your clients from back then?"

"From 2012? Some of them."

"Do you remember anyone of them going missing? Or being involved with violent criminals? Gangs? Mobsters? Lemond Bishop?"

Cary didn't care for hearing the name Lemond Bishop again. "Not off the top of my head." 

"A man, late thirties early forties, blonde hair, about 5'8. Wearing jeans and a black jacket. Two silver rings." Nelson read the description. "And your card in his pocket."

"Sorry. I can't think of anyone with that description." Cary replied to the detectives, who couldn’t hide their disappointment/annoyance. "I'm sorry you had to drive all the way up here."

"If you think of anything, here's my number." Garcia handed him over her card. "We'll be in town for a few hours."

"Okay, anything for Chicago's finest."

Cary didn't have good memories of Chicago PD, but he wasn't gonna share that with the detectives. He acted natural and walked them to the door. 

"So how's Milwaukee treating ya?" Nelson said, making small talk. "Make good money?"

"Can't complain."

"I tell you something, I can't never buy nice suits like yours." Nelson pointed at Carly's jacket.

"Like I said, I can't complain. Goodbye, detectives."

Cary shut the door and then he throwed the card away. But when he was heading back to his desk a memory suddenly popped in his mind. "Nice suit..."

Later that day, back in Chicago. Detectives Garcia and Nelson came back to the police station.

“Where have you been, jackoffs?” Their superior official said very loud when he saw the detectives. 

“We were in Milwaukee.” Nelson answered. He took off his jacket, sat down and put his feet on the desk. “Following a lead to a dead end.”

“We’re working the ditch construction case, we still have one more lead.” Garcia pushed Nelson’s feet off the desk. “But we need some help. ‘Cause we ain’t driving to Washington DC.”

“What’s your lead?”

“Alicia Florrick.” Garcia replied.

“The state’s attorney mom? Ha!” 

“Can you help us set up a meeting?”

“What, you don’t want to ask the State’s attorney? Can you imagine: ‘ _Mom, it’s me Gracie. Hey did you kill a guy 15 years ago? Okay bye_ ’.”

Nelson snorted at the superior’s remarks.

“Can you help us or not?” Garcia asked with little patience. 

“Sure, I’ll set it up. Hey, maybe she’ll confess the governor did it. Ha!” He said as he walked away.

“You know Garcia, my dad shared with me some interesting links about the secret government” Nelson said to his partner.

“I don’t wanna hear your dad’s dumbass conspiracy theories.” Garcia sighed. It had been a long day.

“Thank you for agreeing to interview us, Mrs. Florrick.” Garcia observed as Alicia sat down in front of the camera in her own office in Washington DC. She had agreed to a video call with the investigators, she didn’t suspect anything serious, it was a harmless interview. It’s not like she knew anything about a dead body. “Should I call you Mrs. Florrick? I’m not sure.”

“Well.” Alicia fixed her jacket. “I divorced Peter, and his new wife didn’t take his name...So...My daughter is Mrs. Florrick, now.”

When Grace Florrick married, she didn’t take her husband’s last name or hyphenated her own last name. Instead her husband changed his name. Some people thought it was progressive, others thought it was just to keep the brand going. Either way, they were now THE Florricks. 

“So…?”

“You can call me Alicia, detective.”

“Thank you, Alicia. This should be quick.” Garcia got her files in order and explained to the lawyer. “A male body was found at a construction site at 33th St and Lowe. We know the murder took place in 2012, thanks to city records showing that the original building construction date and thanks to this card.”

“Oh” Alicia observed the photo of the business card shared through the video call window. 

"Recognize it?"

"It's from my old firm."

"It's from your office"

"My office?"

"According to Diane Lockhart's assistant and your former colleague Cary Agos, this business card came from your office. You were sharing an office and extension at the time, correct? Fall of 2012."

"Yeah, it's all coming back to me." Alicia said.

"Okay, so do you remember any client, potential client or colleague missing that fits the description: A man, late thirties early forties, blonde hair, about 5'8. Wearing jeans and a black leather jacket and two silver rings?"

Alicia gasped, she connected the dots and she knew who was the dead body: Nick Savaresse, Kalinda's dangerous husband. Alicia tried to hide her shocked but the gasp was loud and noticeable.

"Alicia, do you remember something?" Garcia asked.

"No." The lawyer regained her posture.

"It seemed like you were…"

"No. Sorry, I was just clearing my voice." Alicia interrupted the detective. "And I don't have any information for you, Detective."

"Then your mom denies knowing anything for another minute or two."

The next day at the State's Attorney office, Grace is shown the video by her right hand, Octavia Rodgers. She pressed pause on the video. 

"Great" Grace Florrick sighed as she leaned back against her chair. 

"Of course the leak version is shorter and focus on that little...uh... hesitation from your mom."

"Of course. I could use a drink right now." Grace sighed again.

"Let's not lose our sobriety yet."

"They're gonna make a big deal of this, aren't they?"

"I don't know about a big deal but your family is good click bait. We have already been asked for comments." Octavia said.

Grace kept quiet for a moment, she looked at the time, she had a press conference in 15 minutes.

"Who is in the case?" Grace asked.

"Detectives Garcia and Nelson."

"And who do we have working with them?"

"ADA Merkey. But he says the detectives have nothing in the file." Octavia replied. "What do you want to do? Wanna wait?"

"No. I'll say something to the press. I don't want this" Grace pointed at the video screen "...to take away attention from our case."

It was a big case. An off duty police was accused of rape. The tension was high in the city.

"Alright. Then it's time to go." Octavia told her. They walked through the corridors on their way to the conference room, Octavia stopped, she had to ask her boss. "Grace between us…Do you think your mom it's hiding something?"

"My parents are good liars. The fact that my mom hesitated it's not a good sign."

Grace went to the press conference and clearly stated that if her mom was a person of interest in the case, she wouldn't intervene in any way with the investigation.


	2. Chapter 2

"You leaked the video, didn't you?" Nelson cornered his partner Detective Garcia in the copy room at the police station. 

"So what if I did?" Garcia closed the door of the room, she didn’t want anyone to eavesdrop.

"Just to screw with Florrick?"

"What? No. I did it to get some public pressure into this case. We got nothing but that brain fart Alicia Florrick had during a video call. If we get her to Chicago and question her properly, she'll talk. 'Cause believe me, she’s hiding something." 

"Makes sense, but I thought you did it for our boy on trial." Nelson refered to the case of the cop being accused of sexual assault. The police department had become even more hostile than normal those days.

"Yeah, I love defending rapists." Garcia rolled her eyes. 

"I don't think he did it." Nelson shrugged. 

"Jesus Christ, Nelson. Aren't you supposed to be a good detective? How did you close cases before moving up to homicide."

Garcia said with disdain, leaving her partner with much to think about.

The video had made some waves, mostly in Chicago but an echo had reached Washington DC.

After the divorce Alicia decided to move out of Chicago. There wasn’t much there for her, she had burned bridges with her co workers, Zach moved to France and Grace was away in college. Not long after, Veronica died; leaving Alicia with a weird mix of relief and regret. Relief because most of Alicia’s life; Veronica acted more like a kid who wanted a playingdate instead of being a responsible mom. And regret from never understanding Veronica as a person, as a human being. When Alcia’s dad died, she thought it wasn’t fair, they needed more time together, when Veronica was gone, Alicia thought she had wasted time. 

At the funeral she asked Owen what would he do now? He told her he would love to travel and see the world. As Alicia stood next to the casket, she chose Washington DC as her new home. She connected with some of her old classmates from Georgetown, turned out not all were as annoying as Liz Reddick. She joined a firm where she liked the constant work. 

In a different life, Alicia doesn’t go back to Chicago with Peter, in a different life she chooses someone else perhaps. Alicia tries hard not to over romanticize her days at Georgetown with Will and not vilified her years with Peter in Chicago, it wasn’t not all bad. 

"Do you need a lawyer?"

Alicia looked up to see Daniel, standing on their bedroom door. She put down her book on the nightstand.

"I’m a lawyer. Why would I need a lawyer?" Alicia said very carefree. 

Alicia had ventured into a relationship with Jason Crouse after the divorce, turned out to be purely sexual. What was she thinking? A disbarred lawyer? A devoted greek orthodox? She could find a better suited partner, and she did in DC. 

She met Daniel at a fundraiser party, he caught her eye immediately: tall, black hair, smooth talking lawyer. Alicia definitely had a type. 

They hit it off and proved to be an item long term, both were divorcées and marrying again was out of the question. 

Nowadays, Daniel was slowing down his practice and spending more time teaching at a community college, closer to their apartment.

"Apparently you're a ' _ person of interest _ ' in a murder case in Chicago." Daniel took off his watch and jacket, he was getting ready for bed. 

"It's nothing." Alicia tried to downplay it "Some cops with nothing better to do."

"Alicia, I saw the video." Daniel sat down on the edge of the bed, taking off his shoes. " You froze."

"I didn't froze."

"And your daughter has publicly said she won't intervene in any way if you're involved."

"Which it's pointless because I don't know anything."

Daniel observed Alicia for a while. "I think you do."

"Really?"

"I think you're protecting someone." Daniel said. "Maybe your ex."

Alicia laughed. "Peter? You think Peter had someone killed and I knew about it? We're not all gangsters in Chicago."

"And not everyone is corrupted in Washington, right?"

He laid down next to her on his side of the bed.

"I'm only worried about you."

"I know." She kissed him sweetly. "But you don't have to."

“What do they say at the office?”

“They all offered me help too. So you see, I’m all lawyered up.”

"Have you talked to Grace?"

"Not yet. I'll call her tomorrow."

The next morning Alicia stared at her phone, thinking what to say to Grace. Maybe she could tell her the truth, but Alicia wasn’t sure what the truth was. She really didn’t know what Kalinda did all those years ago. 

An incoming call from an unknown number interrupted her thought. Alicia let her phone smart assistant take the call but the live transcription got her attention. She had to pick up.

"Cary?"

"Hey Alicia, I'm in town. Can you meet me today?"

In Chicago, Grace Florrick walked into the kitchen in her Highland Park home. It was the same house she grew up in, the same house they had to leave behind when Peter went to jail. Jackie had bought it back with the kids’ college fund and Peter was able to fix everything with money that no one was sure where he got it from. Peter was never quite comfortable living again there with his new wife and with Zach was in Paris, the family home became a wedding gift for Grace.

"I overslept." The lawyer said.

"It's early, you're not gonna be late." Her husband, Josh, kissed her and handed her over a cup of coffee.

"I know but I wanted to go for a run." Grace put her attention to her 6 months baby daughter. "Good morning, Debbie."

She held the baby up and kissed her cheeks; the baby giggled. Grace and Josh had a hard time picking the baby’s name. They discarded their own moms' names and their grandmother’s names and all of Josh’s ex girlfriends.. They toyed with the idea of Grace Florrick II, however Grace finally picked ‘ _ Deborah _ ’ like the leader and prophet from the bible. She also thought ‘ _ Debbie _ ’ sounded cute. 

The Florricks sat down for breakfast, they had a rule of no phones on the table so they could have calm mornings, but it didn’t always work out that way. 

"You know I always thought Jackie would be revealed as the murderer in the family." Josh told her. 

"Excuse me?"

"One day an investigator reporter would find out Jackie committed manslaughter and your grandfather used his influences as a judge to cover it up. That sort of thing." He said. "I mean, I knew all the drama that comes with this family, but your mom being a gangster? I never saw it coming. Your brother should base his next novel on this. Mom and lawyer by day, assassin by night."

"Good to know you find it amusing."

"I only joke because I care about you and your unresolved issues."

“My unresolved issues?” Grace asked as she continued to feed Debbie. 

“Yeah, with your parents.” He sipped from his coffee. “Your mom being named in the press irks you.”

“Because it’s a distraction from a very important case.”

“That 's all?” Josh insisted. 

Grace frowned. “What’s all this really about?” 

“I think you should go to therapy.”

“Okay, this something new” Grace sighed. 

“To be fair, I made the suggestion last Thanksgiving because that holiday it’s a trigger for you.” The man clarified. 

“Trigger? It’s Thanksgiving, everyone has issues with the holidays and family.”

Grace got defensive, her posture changed, she was turning away from her husband.

“You’re right, we all have issues with our families. It’s not a big deal to talk to someone about it.” Josh continued to say.

“I talk to you.”

“I’m not a certified therapist.”

“I pray most nights.”

“Jesus isn’t a certified therapist either.” He smiled at Grace, hoping to relax her; he reached for her hand. “Why aren’t you open to the idea?” 

“I’m busy.”

“You can do it online. Anytime, anywhere, with your laptop.” 

“Why don’t you go?” Grace tried to turn the tables. “I’m sure you have plenty to say about your dad leaving you.”

“If I go, you’d go?” 

“I think it would be a waste of time.” Grace finished feeding Debbie. “My dad didn’t abandon me.”

“I mean, didn’t he? kinda?” 

“What I’m saying it’s that nothing bad happened to me. I wasn’t abused, I didn’t have an eating disorder, no one in my family died.”

"Only those issues deserve attention?" Her husband asked rhetorically. "Seeing your dad arrested didn't affect you? Your mom's leaked emails to her boss?"

"Those weren't my problems, none of my business." Grace replied. 

“You were their kid.”

"I still had all I wanted. Nice clothes, private schools, a house. This house it's ours thanks to my dad."

"So your feelings aren't valid because you don’t want to be ungrateful? Because you were privileged?” 

“My parents gave me everything so I wouldn’t struggle!” Grace raised her voice startling her baby daughter. “Oh no, Debbie. It’s okay.”

Grace took the baby out her high chair and held her close. “Shhh. It 's okay, baby girl. Mommy didn’t mean to scare you.”

Husband and wife stayed quiet for a moment.

“It’s your mom picking Debbie up today?” Grace broke the silence first. 

“No, I’m dropping her off at her place.” Josh replied. “Listen, Grace. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“It 's that so? Why are you bringing this up today? I have a big day at court."

"And you're more than capable of taking your feelings, burying them down, put on a smile and pretend everything it's perfect."

"Am I a hypocrite now?"

"Not what I'm saying."

"Then what the hell is it? Uh? What?" Grace put her daughter on her baby seat. She faced her husband and crossed her arms. 

"Grace, I love you…"

"But?"

"No buts. You're the love of my life. When we were dating I learned to deal with the walls you put up. I married you knowing this about you. And I don't care that sometimes it feels like I love you more than you love me. I'm a grown ass man, I can take it. But I don't think Debbie should have to grow up dealing with it."

"You son of a bitch." Grace said. “That's low and you know it. I'm a bad mom?"

"I didn't say that." Josh shook his head. 

"You're right, you're saying I have the potential to be a bad mom and mess up my daughter. Because I had a bad mom."

"You're saying those words, not me."

"Whatever, I have to go." Grace turned to her baby. "Goodbye Debbie, see you tonight. I love you."

In Washington DC, Alicia meets with Cary Agos in a bistro for lunch. Their first instinct is to embrace each other in a friendly hug. They had years of shared history as rivals, friends and partners. The lawyers got caught up about their life post Chicago.

"We're actually staying in Baltimore." Cary said. "My wife wants to see an Orioles game. She's a big fan."

"And you?"

"I don't care for baseball or any organized sport." He shrugged. "But that's what we do for love...And the only excuse I have to come and see you."

"Why are you really here, Cary? I don’t think you just want to talk about old times.” 

"The dead body found in Chicago. The cops questioned me first." Cary leaned in. "I know who that is."

"You do?" Alicia was skeptical, Kalinda had a relationship with Cary but she didn't think the investigator shared her secret with him.

"I just don't know his name. But I remember him walking down the halls of Lockhart and Gardner, sitting at your desk, talking to you and talking to Kalinda. I also know he wasn't a good guy, was he?" Cary continued. "You see, he sent a couple of thugs to beat me up in the parking lot."

"What? He did that?"

"I ran into him at the office elevator. He made a remark about my designer suit. I brushed him off. A few days later, I'm being kicked in the stomach and they're yelling: 'Nice suit'. He wanted me to know it was him."

"I'm sorry, Cary."

"Nothing you could do, right?" Cary told her. "I really don't care about him. I care about Kalinda. How were they involved? Was he an ex?"

Cary was getting closer to the truth.

"I can't tell you, Cary." Alicia said. "It's been a long time, but still it's not my secret to share."

"Did she kill him?"

"I...I don't know. I don't think so." Alicia had thought about it many times since the questioning with the cops. Kalinda knew her way around guns, Alicia could see Kalinda defending herself, but not an execution. She recalled that night with Kalinda telling her everything was taken care of.

"Did you ever find out what happened with Kalinda? Where did she go?"

"No."

Cary hung his head. "I still regret it."

"Is Kalinda the one that got away?" Alicia asked. "Literally and figuratively?"

"It's not about that." Cary looked up. "I regret how I treated her. I thought it was all about passion and hot sex. Now I realize she wanted peacefulness. And I couldn't give her that. Do you think she found it?"

"I like to think she did." Alicia smiled. 

"Alright, I should get going. Need to catch the train back to Baltimore." Cary got up.

"Cary, I...the way we ended things, our partnership, it wasn't great."

"I thought we would take over the world."

"Either way, I'm very fond of those days of Florrick and Agos."

"Yeah, those days were fun. Exhausting and infuriating sometimes, but fun." Cary snapped his fingers. "I almost forgot. Did you hear that Carey and Robin got married?"

"To each other?"

"Yeah, not only that but they became Hollywood writers. I've seen their names. Executive Producers: Carey and Robin Zeps."

"You're joking?"

"No at all. They're showrunning a TV series about a private investigator and a lawyer."

"Well, write what you know."

“We’ll sue them if they use our life for their stories”

“Oh, absolutely.” 

The lawyers shared one last laugh. 

"Goodbye Alicia."

"Goodbye Cary."

At her office Grace Florrick is winding down from a frenetic day as State Attorney. Opening statements for the trial, a press conference, meetings with the mayor, arguments with the chief of police and a PR war with the police union leader. She barely had time to see her phone. She got a couple of missed calls from Alicia and several text messages from Josh apologizing from breakfast. 

“Any new developments with the ditch case?” Grace asked Olivia, after the rest of the staff left the office. 

“I thought you didn’t want to know.” 

“Just tell me.”

“Alright” Octavia sat down on the couch facing Grace on the desk. “The problem is jurisdiction. Merkey told me they’re talking with Metro police and with the OAG to help them officially question your mom. The best option it’s for Garcia, Nelson and Merkey to go there. But they can’t actually detain her until she says no, then they can go with obstruction of justice.”

“If I promote Merkey, it would delay his cases. Maybe enough time until this blows over” Grace suggested. 

“It would be super obvious but sure.”

“I got to do something, it’s my mom. Wouldn’t you do something if it was your mom?”

“My mom is a saint.” Octavia replied.

“My mom was a saint too, at least for a while.” The state attorney leaned back on her chair. “To think my biggest fear was to trial my dad for corruption.”

Octavia laughed out. “Good one.” Grace didn’t laugh. “Oh, you’re serious?”

“He went from disgraced governor to a cushy job thanks to his connections. It’s not impossible to think he would do something shady again for his friends.”

“I didn’t know you felt that way about your dad. Do you...I don’t know...hate him?”

“Of course not. I love my dad but he can still be a crook.” 

Octavia was surprised that Grace was being candid about her father. Usually when people brought Peter’s corruption, Grace would deflect quickly. 

“I remember when you were still new in the office. You were just getting your first trial and the defense lawyer tried to rattle you by saying something about your dad getting blow jobs from a hooker.” 

“I think I remember.” Grace nodded.

“You looked him right in the eyes.” Octavia stood up to recreate the scene.” And said: _Oh my God. You actually thought you would upset me?_ _I’ve been hearing comments about my dad and hookers since I was twelve and I didn’t even cry then. See you at court._ ”

Grace smiled. “Oh yeah, I won that case.”

“You were savage.” Octavia stated. “It was then when I knew you weren’t just another rich girl with a white savior complex.”

“I’m glad you changed your idea of me.”

“Well, you’re my boss now I have to say nice things about you.”

“Thank you, my ego appreciates it.” Grace reached for a file on her desk. "Let's see if we can get ahead on tomorrow's work."

Zach Florrick rubbed his eyes and yawned. It was almost 1 am and he couldn't figure out how to end the chapter of his newest novel. He wasn't gonna win the Nobel prize, but his books were best sellers, he had many fans and even an adaptation of his work in development for a streaming show with Carey and Robin Zeps, who were unaware of his real identity. Zach's pen name was JR Cavanaugh. The author was staring at the computer screen, when an upcoming call notification popped up.

"Hey, what's up Grace?"

"Hi! Did I wake you up?"

"No, I was just writing." Zach yawned again. "But I'm gonna call it a night." Grace was still in her office, she was delaying going back home. 

"Maybe I should call tomorrow."

"Nah, come on little sister. What's on your mind?"

“Okay, here it goes. Have you gone to therapy?” the lawyer asked. “Have you ever gone to a psychologist?” 

“Sure. My second wife Tammy convinced me to go, and I found it very helpful. Why do you ask?”

“Josh thinks I should go to therapy. Apparently I’m burying my emotions and I have unresolved issues with my family.”

“I mean…” Zach raised an eyebrow.

“You think he’s right?”

“Grace, do I need you to remind you of that summer you came to visit? What you said to me? Called me a  _ fucking a coward _ ?”

“Oh, no Zach” Grace hid her face with her hands. “I was drunk and I shouldn’t say that. I didn’t mean it.” 

“You absolutely mean it. Because that’s how you felt when you were 18. Dad was on trial again and I moved to another continent.”

“Why did you leave?” 

“I was in love with Hannah, I wanted to be with her no matter what. She was moving to France so...”

“And you couldn’t wait for two more weeks?” 

“I didn’t want to.” Zach shrugged. “Seeing dad getting arrested again, it felt like a slap in the face. After all the things we’ve been through. I voluntered for his campaings, I testified in court to help him win an election and then he gets arrested by the feds with mom by his side?! I couldn’t believe it.”

Grace’s mind goes back to the trail. She was sitting on a bench outside the courtroom, Peter kneeling in front of her and telling her not to worry. She was crying.

“Why did you stay, Grace? You could’ve left as soon as you graduated.”

“I wanted to see it through. Like you said, all the things we did for our family. All the times we pretend, all the times we lied to protect our family, and now I had to let it go and move on? I had to move 2000 mile away for my own good? Old enough to live on my own but too young for them to tell me the truth to my face?!” 

Zach hadn’t seen Grace this upset since she dropped the f bomb that one summer. 

“Tu viens te coucher?” A voluptuous woman came into Zach’s office. “Il est déjà très tard.”

“Dans un moment” Zach replied to the woman. “Sorry, about that.”

“It’s fine. I have to go home.” Grace told her brother. “I’ll call you another day.”

“You’re gonna be okay, Grace.” Zach assured her. “But wait, what’s that business about mom killing some guy?”

“Bye Zach.” Grace ended the videocall. 

Grace walked through the parking lot thinking about what she was gonna say to Josh, to her mom. She heard steps behind her.

“Ms. Florrick, can I have a word with you?” 

“Kalinda?” 


	3. Chapter 3

"Hello Grace" the former investigator, formerly known as Kalinda Sharma approached Grace carefully. "It's nice to see you remember me."

"Of course I remember you, Kalinda. You're the coolest person I've known."

"I'll take the compliment." Kalinda smiled. "And look at you…"

"I'm all grown up. Yeah, am I making you feel old?"

"A little bit."

"Why are you here? I thought you moved out of Chicago...Oh, you're here for the dead body." The lawyer realized.

"Unfortunately, yes."

"Let's go to my office."

"No." Kalinda gently stopped Grace by the arm. "I really don't want to step into the State's Attorney office. I'm staying in a hotel nearby, let's talk there, have a drink."

"Okay"

In Washington, Alicia was looking out her window, taking in the scenery of the city while sipping on a glass of whiskey.

"Hey." Daniel entered the apartment. 

"Hey" Alicia replied but continued to stare into the night.

"Okay, so we have reached the drinking alone in the dark level."

"Want one?" Alicia held up her drink. 

"I'm good." Daniel put his arm around Alicia's waist. "So why are you brooding in the dark?"

"A source from the police told our firm that they're looking to pressure me to talk. If I don't, they're gonna charge me with obstruction of justice."

"That's not good. But you said, you don't know anything."

Alicia faced her boyfriend and took a deep breath. "You were right, I'm protecting someone. I know the dead body's identity but I can't tell the police."

"Uh." Daniel took a step back. "You know who killed him?"

"No." Alicia thought about it, she made up her mind about Kalinda not being the killer. "The person I'm protecting didn't kill him."

"But it's involved somehow?"

"Listen, this person disappeared; she doesn't want to be found. If I talk to the police, it might set in motion a wider investigation leading to my friend."

"Why doesn't she want to be found?"

"It's complicated...legally speaking." Alicia told him. 

"Wow." The man ran his hand through his hair. "And this person is worth the risk?"

"Absolutely. Besides, it's a calculated risk. They got nothing." Alicia took a big sip of whiskey.

"I think I'll have that drink after all." 

Kalinda and Grace sat at the bar of the hotel. Kalinda observed the younger woman with curiosity, Alicia's daughter all grown up. The same girl she “rescued” and took home so many years ago. 

"Do I look like my mom?" Grace noticed how the investigator looked at her "Or did I remind you of my dad?"

"I got it." Kalinda smiled. "People tell you the same thing all the time."

"It's funny how people tell me I look like my mom or my dad, depending on who they knew better ."

"You got a little bit of both."

The bartender approached the women. "Good evening. What can I get you?" 

"A vodka martini."

"Club soda, please." Grace's order made Kalinda raise an eyebrow.

"Well, there's something you're not like your mom." 

For Kalinda, it seemed like yesterday when she took Alicia to the bar to celebrate her first win in court. Back then, Alicia needed to loosen up, have fun. 

"You don't drink on weeknights?"

"Uhm...I try not to drink at all."

Kalinda perceived that Grace didn't need to loosen up. "I understand. Alcohol isn't something you enjoy."

"I don't like how it makes me feel. It's fun first and then it sort of messes with my head. Also, I need a clear head tonight if I'm gonna hear a confession."

The bartender came back with their drinks, giving Kalinda time to gain some courage and talk about old wounds.

"The dead body you found...he was my husband: Nick Savaresse."

"Oh!"

"I know what you are thinking…"

"I'm thinking of domestic violence. You wouldn't be the first woman to kill her husband in self defense, but a bullet to the back of the head isn't self defense."

"I didn't kill him." Kalinda told her. "I didn't shoot him, I should start from the beginning.”

“Please.” 

“I wasn’t born Kalinda Sharma, my real name is Leela Tahiri and I was born in Canada.”

“Oookaaay.” Grace frowned. 

“My family were immigrants from India, they were very strict, very traditional. I didn’t fit with them.” Kalinda looked down. “When I was 18 years old, I left home and never looked back. I was free to wear what I wanted, to say what I wanted, to love who I wanted.”

“And this Nick guy came around?”

“Yeah, he was like me. Or at least, that’s what I thought. A tough man who didn’t care what people said about him. I felt in love...or a version of love. He was a petty criminal at first, I found it amusing. But his ego grew, he wanted to be a boss, a true gangster. The relationship became toxic, he was dangerous and violent; so once again I had to run away.”

“And you pick Chicago?”

“Yeah, I like it here.”

“Why did you become a private investigator?”

“Because of the years I spent around criminals, I got used to reading them, understanding how they work. I figured I could make money and help people. Keeping a low profile.”

“How do you keep a low profile with high boots and a leather skirt?” The lawyer raised her eyebrows. 

“People, especially men, underestimate you if they think you’re just hot, they talk without thinking. I’m sure you’ve ran into the same problem more than once.”

“During the campaign a couple of advisers said that men wouldn’t vote for me because they only wanted to have sex with me, not listen to me.” Grace drank from her glass. “So fair point.”

“Anyway, after I was settled with Lockhart and Gardner…”

“No.” Grace interrupted Kalinda. “You worked for my dad first. Right?”

Kalinda was surprised to see the younger woman knew the history, but how much did she know? 

“Yes I worked for your dad, so?”

“So did he know about you?”

“Why do you want to know?” 

“Because you testified using a fake name in a grand jury. If my dad knew, he didn’t care? He looked the other way because it was beneficial for him?” 

Kalinda thought about it for a moment, it was obvious Grace didn’t know about her and Peter. But Grace’s line of thought was leading her to the right questions.

“He didn’t know.” Kalinda told her. “My papers with my new identity were good. I got a licence and security number. He had no clue.”

“How did you get those?”

Kalinda admired Grace’s instinct, she would’ve been a good investigator. “I had friends in high and low places.”

“See Kalinda, that’s why you’re so cool.” The lawyer smiled. “You can say a phrase straight from a noir movie in real life and make it work.”

Grace raised her glass for her.

“Anyway, Will offered me a job and I started working for his firm.” Kalinda continued. 

“Uh, yeah, Will Gardner.” Grace wasn’t thrilled hearing Will’s name. 

“You met Will, didn’t you?” 

“Not really.” Grace shrugged. 

“I’m sure you met him a couple of times.” Kalinda insisted.

“He never looked me in the eye.” Grace recalled. “The election night when the firm was running around between courtrooms arguing about a box ballot, Will was there but he never looked me in the eye, he avoided me all night."

The memory of seeing her mom driving away with Will was clear in Grace's mind.

"I don’t know, maybe he was scared of me. He imagined I would yell at him: ‘ _ Leave my mommy and daddy alone _ !’”

They both chuckle.

“Sorry, I don’t mean to speak ill of the dead. I’m sure he was a good guy.” Grace apologized. 

“It 's okay, I think you're right, Will was a little bit scared of you..” Kalinda told her. “We should get back to the main subject.”

“Please, go on.”

“At Lockhart and Gardner - they weren’t called that back then - I met your mom and we became friends. I thought I was safe, but Nick found me. Push his way into my life again, and I almost fell for it again. But he was still a violent criminal. I found out he was smuggling drugs through the canadian border, distributing it in the midwest.” 

“And you couldn’t call the police, because he would tell them about you.”

“It was beyond that Grace. It was for survival.” Kalinda swallowed hard. “I had to do it.”

“What did you Kalinda?”

“I set him up. He was playing drug dealer in Lemond Bishop’s territory, I knew he and his people wouldn’t like that.”

“So they killed him.”

“I didn’t think they would kill him.” Kalinda argued. “I didn’t go directly to Bishop, I went to one of his lackeys. I assumed they would scare him out of town, that he wouldn’t kill Nick without Bishop approval.”

“That’s very convenient.”

“I had to do something, I knew Nick would eventually hurt me or hurt the people I love. He would’ve hurt your mom.”

“Come on, don’t play that card.” Grace complained. 

“Alicia was my friend, and Nick knew how much friendship means to me. How I don’t let people get closer, but a select few. He was a bad person targeting me and my friends. "

"And he deserved to die that way?"

"Yes, he did." 

Kalinda finished her drink and raised her glass to the bartender to get another.

"It shouldn't have been your call. You setting him up was wrong, Kalinda."

"I already paid the price. I got in bed with Bishop and it bit me in the end. I had to leave Chicago and disappeared again. I lost my home."

Kalinda sounded bitter and angry, so Grace awaited before inquiring her more.

"Mom knows all of this?" 

"Most of it."

"So there's nothing I can do without dragging her into it."

"Why do you think I'm here Grace? Just to get out of my chest? I'm here to fix it." Kalinda received her second drink. "When I saw the news, when I saw Alicia's video I had to do something. Because I still care very much for your mother."

"Then why tell me? Go talk to her, go to Washington and tell my mom that she's not gonna be charged with obstruction of justice."

"It hurts too much, Grace." Kalinda's voice broke a little. "Alicia was my best friend and still hurts that we couldn't fix things between us."

"Why couldn't you fix things? It's obvious you needed a friend and my mom needed you. I tried to be her friend but I couldn't."

"What do you mean?"

"After her election, mom was...she wasn't in the right place emotionally. She drank more often, she would stay up late, she was alienating herself. It was just me and her in the apartment, I tried to cheer her up, helped her out with her firm and with my dad running for president." Grace sighed. "I never told anyone this, one night I came home, there were broken plates all over the floor, I found my mom crying in the dining room, she was mumbling something about Will, Eli and my dad, I could see she was drunk. I asked her what happened, she didn't tell me. I tried to help her clean up and she told me to go to my room. Two days later we were in Iowa for dad's campaign; pretending to be a happy family. Mom could’ve used a friend back then because I wasn’t cutting it.”

“It wasn’t your job, Grace.” Kalinda saw the melancholy in Grace’s eyes. 

“But I was the only one there. Trying to figure out what the hell was going on. Kinda like now.”

“This is my mess, it’s my job to fix it. You don’t have to worry about it.” Kalinda put her hand on Grace’s shoulder and gave it a squeeze. “You got bigger fish to fry. You need to put that bastard rapist behind jail.”

“I can’t let that girl down.”

“And you won’t.”

“Alright...if you’re gonna fix the case, do you need anything from me? Again, why tell me at all?”

“You don’t have to do anything. I just didn’t want to leave you and Alicia in the dark.” Kalinda smiled. "Or wondering if you own someone a favor." 

“Okay.” Grace looked at her watch. “It’s getting late, I should go home.”

“Wait, there’s one thing you can do for me.” Kalinda said. “Just hold one one minute.”

The investigator walked to the hotel front desk, asked for paper and an envelope. She wrote something fast and came back to the bar.

“Here. Give this letter to your mom.” Kalinda extended her hand with the envelope to Grace. 

“Come on, Kalinda. You can mail it from the hotel, I’ll give you the address.” 

“No. You have to give it to her in person. Please, Grace. It’s important that you do.”

“Fine.” Grace took the letter. 

“Thank you.” Kalinda gave Grace a motherly kiss on the forehead.. “Go home to your family. I promise everything will be alright.”

Grace made the long way back to Highland Park from downtown Chicago. She parked on her driveway and stayed in the car. She had to return Alicia's call.

"Here I go." Grace pressed the call button and waited, half wishing her mom wouldn't pick up.

"Hello?"

"Hi mom."

"Hi Grace. Glad to hear your voice."

"Yeah, yeah, me too. Listen, you called me early today. Sorry I couldn't answer."

"It's okay. I know you're busy." 

The silence on the other side of the line, got Alicia worried. "Are you alright, sweetheart?"

"Mom, about the murder investigation. It's gonna be okay."

"Grace, you don't have to do anything for me. I can handle it." Alicia said. "You don't need to...I don't know, do anything that compromises you or your career."

"Mom…I'm not" Grace sighed. "Everything will be okay, mom. Trust me."

"Alright."

"Hey, haven't seen you since Debbie was born. I would love to visit you soon. Maybe after the trail."

"It would be lovely to see you again."

"Okay, good night."

"Good night, Grace. I love you." Alicia stated. 

"I love you too." 

Grace entered her home, everything was silent and dark. A plate cover with tin foil was waiting for her on the kitchen counter. The home made dinner was courtesy of her mother in law. She ate her dinner without bothering to heat it up.

The lawyer made her way up stairs and entered her daughter's room. The baby was sound asleep in her crib. Grace gently caressed Debbie's face. She never hesitated to have kids, she knew she wanted to be a mom and she has enjoyed motherhood so far. She didn't mind the early mornings, the diapers, the crying. But there was a little voice inside of her head warning her: It's easy now, what are you gonna do when Debbie grows up? When she’ll ask you tough questions? When you won’t have the answer? She loves her daughter but even when you love someone, you can still hurt them. It 's unavoidable, isn’t it? 

Grace’s memory goes back to that St. Patrick Day, when Veronica shared too much information with Zach and her: Alicia being already pregnant while getting married, not wanting a second child, only staying married because of the responsibility. Of course Alicia, assured her then teenage daughter that it wasn’t the case, and everything was about love above all. But Grace could recall very well, the feeling in the pit of her stomach, when Veronica told her those things because it made sense to Grace. She could see it being true and for a moment, she doubted her mom’s love and it wouldn't be the last time.

The lawyer left the baby and headed for her room. She found her husband already sleeping but with the night stand light on. Josh had the habit of leaving a light on for her. He also had the habit of sleeping without a shirt on, she found him so sexy. If she wasn't so tired, she would wake him up for sex; maybe tomorrow morning. She changed into her nightgown and snuggled up with Josh.

"Hmm...hey you." Josh felt Grace next to him.

"Didn't mean to wake you."

"It's okay, I like to know when you get home." He put his arm around her to go back to sleep. 

"Do you think I need fixing?" Grace asked her husband. 

"Hmm?"

"I should go to therapy because I need fixing."

“Wait....” Josh propped himself up. “You don’t need ‘ _ fixing _ ’, Grace. You’re not broken, ok? Is that why you’re afraid of going?”

“Yeah.” Grace started to cry. “They broke my heart, I don’t know if it mended back quite right.”

“Your heart is fine.” Josh held Grace’s face. “I know you love me and Debbie.You just need to learn how to change a little bit.” 

“I hope so, I don’t want to break Debbie’s heart.”

“You won’t.” 

The next day at the police station, it’s almost noon and there’s a development in the case. 

"Hey jackoffs! Come in here!" Detectives Garcia and Nelson heard their superior official called them to his office.

"What's going?" Garcia asked him.

"You got your case solved." The senior official threw a file at Garcia. “We have a confession for the body found at the construction.”

“What?” Garcia and Nelson looked through the file. “The victim was Nicholas Savaresse killed by Dexter Roja?”

“Yeah, apparently this Savaresse guy tried to sell drugs in Bishop’s backyard, so his lieutenant killed him. Roja confessed this morning, he’s already in prison for life, so why not add another body to the count?” Their boss explained. “The feds got involved, they tracked Savaresse to Canada, where they got a loooong rap sheet of him, Roja recognized him from a mugshoot and that’s all she wrote.”

“Just like that?” Garcia suspected something fishy about it. “It 's too easy. Why would he confess now?”

“Well, he got some perks. A tv in his cell or something. It doesn’t matter.” The detective shrugged. “It’s over and all the fuss you made with Alicia Florrick was for nothing. Clear the case from the board."

Garcia and Nelson walked to the white board to erase the case. 

“This is messed up.” Nelson said. “Someone obviously intervened to get Florrick off the hook. And I know who did it.”

“Who?” Garcia asked with wide eyes.

“Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.” Nelson said with a straight face. 

“What?”

“AOC wants Grace Florrick to run for senator, be in congress for a couple of years and then she’ll put her in the ticket to disrupt the 2032 elections.”

“Oh for God’s sake.” Garcia sighed. “Why do I even bother?”

“No, no, it’s all true. They’re secret friends, and AOC is grooming her to be her vice-president because she needs the midwestern appeal. I read it all online.”

“I’m gonna ask for a new partner.”

The former detective, formerly known as Kalinda Sharma drives to the airport. Her contact in the FBI came through and Roja was happy to get a tv all for himself, life in prison is boring after all. Kalinda observed the city of Chicago one last time, she was done with the ghosts of her past.

It took Kalinda 8 hours and 37 minutes to arrive home. She picked that place for the warm weather and the ocean view; the familiar smell and her four cats welcomed her at the door.

“I’m home.” Kalinda said out loud.

“I’m in the kitchen!” A woman’s voice replied, Kalinda headed for the kitchen where she found her partner next to the stove, stirring the pot . “I’m making  _ flan _ . I have to keep an eye on it.”

“I love flan.” Kalinda kissed her. 

“How was your trip?”

“Uhm...Too long.” 

“And you’re good now?”

“Yeah. I’m good.” Kalinda sat down, one of her cats jumped on her lap, she started to pet it. “I know I haven’t told you everything about my past.”

“I don’t need to know.” The woman said. “I love you as you are right now. Whatever you did, whoever you were, I don’t need to know. But if you want to share...I’ll listen.”

“How long until the flan is ready?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Zach and Grace are gonna be messed up adults, right? They'd probably have problems establishing healthy relationships.  
> There is an interesting journey with the Florrick kids during the show. Go back to season 1, Zach wants to visit his dad in prison, while Grace is hesitant to see him again. In season 2, Zach wants to help Peter's campaign while Grace likes the other candidate. I think the writers wanted a "rebel" kid but not with bad behavior but in the sense of being contrary to their parent's ideas. But there's a turn around, Grace begins to support her parents more.   
>  \- Similar to Stevie in Madam Secretary. Stevie goes from denying her mom in the first season to letting her use her wedding for political reasons in the final episode -  
> In season 2, there is a dinner with potential donors for Peter, and Grace starts an argument about the Israeli/Palestine conflict. Afterwards, Peter assures her, she's not in trouble for having an opinion. Similar scenario in season 7, dinner with a big potential donor - Vanessa Williams - the family is pretending as if it was Grace's birthday and the girl actively lies about it. She changed her attitude.   
> So while Zach distances himself, initially by Alicia's silent treatment and then by his own choice; going to France. Grace aligns more with her parent's goals, and until the last episodes it's questioned. Alicia sees her daughter postponing her trip to college because of Peter's trial and wonders if she has given a bad example. And although that subject it's used as one of the reasons for Alicia's actions in the finale, it isn't explored in a stuffed episode that focus more in Alicia's capacity of falling in love again.   
> I like the open ended finale but to add Alicia's relationship with Grace as one of the things left in the air, seems like a bizarre idea. If you watch Alicia and Grace scene in the pilot, it's a working mom taking time to talk to her daughter after a long day of work. They hug.   
> Compare it to their last scene together where they argue and Grace walks away from her mom in disagreement. I'm not saying they would've never talk again, I'm saying that from the point of view of Grace, still a teenager, must be confusing and perhaps hurtful. So why add this complex dynamic to very end? Perhaps just to continue the motif of full circle and history repeating, Alicia couldn't understand Veronica. Grace now can't understand Alicia.  
> Anyways, the next chapter it's the ending. Hope you enjoy it.


End file.
